Train-controlling system



B. A. PRINCE AND E. 1. LA COUNT.

TRAIN CONTROLLING-SYSTEM, I APPLICATION FILED MAYZB, 19H- 1 ,32, 5'72.Patented June 8, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

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B. A. PRINCE AND E. I. LA COUNT.

TRAIN CONTROLLING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 28. I917.

Patented June 8, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Ef/faas M D M84-M T all whom it may concern:

stage E '5' BENJAMIN A. PRINCE AND ELDRIDGE 1. LA coun'r, or wononsrnn,ivrassiicnusnrrs, ASSIGNORS TO oncnrr AUTOMATIC ream CONTROL COMPANY, orwoncnsrnn, .MASSACI-IUSETTS, A conronarron or ARIZONA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 28, 1917. Serial No. 171,469.

Be it known that we, BENJAMIN A. PRINCE T and ELDRIDGE 1. LA COUNT,c1t1zens of the United States, and residents of WVoreester,

in the county of lVorcester and State of Mas= sachusetts, have inventedanew and useful lmprovem nt in Train-Controlling Systems, of which thefollowing is a specification.

(Eur invention relates to systems for preventing railroad accidents,such ascollisions, derailments, running on to open switches, etc., bymeans of electrical apparatus and circuits carried by the train andarranged to cooperate through ramps or contact plates located in theblock-section in which the train is running with apparatusand circuitsconnected to and associated with the next bl ck ahead. i

The general object of our invention is to provide means whereby a trainmay automatically be brought to a stand-still ina given block when thenext block ahead has been rendered unsafe from any cause, such forexample as a broken rail, an open switch, or the presence of anothertrain therein; to stop the train in a given block when any road bedcircuit of the bloc-k ahead is opened or the road bed apparatus of suchblock short-circuited or otherwise disorganized; and to stop the trainwhenever any train circuit is opened or the train apparatusslmrt-circuited or renderedincapable of performing its intendedfunction. V

' A'particularobject of our invention is to provide means whereby anormally energized electro-magnet carried by the train and hereinafterreferred to as the train-stopping magnet is denergized when the block inadvance of that in which the train is running has been rendered unsafeor when any train or road bed circuit or apparatus is for any reasonrendered inoperative, and by such dc energizat ion causes theapplication of the air-brakes.

To these and other ends tending to improve and simplify systems 01":this general type and increase the etticiency of the same, our inventioncomprises an air-brake valve normally closed by an electro-magnet whichis normally energized directly by a source carried by the'train and thecircuit of which Patented June 8, 1 920. i

may be momentarily broken at a given point in every block and theninstantly closed by being looped into one of the road-bed circuitsconnected to the block ahead, so that the circuit of said magnet will beopened if said block has been rendered unsafe, the

magnet deenergized and the air-brake valve opened to apply the brakes.

By means o'fthe aforesaid magnet directly energized by the sourcewithout the intermediaryof a relay or commutator actuated by a controlmagnet, all danger of faulty operation due to the sticking of such relayor the armature'of the controlmagnetyisr overcome and the operation ofthe system is rendered certain and positive. The airbrake valve which isheld on itsseat by the' i normally energized magnet is forced from suchseat, when said magnet is denergized,

by air'compressed to about seventy pounds per square inch, and therebyall danger from failure of operation due to sticking of the armature ofsa1d magnet is;avo1ded.'

Our invention also comprises an electro; magnetically controlled switch'at. the end" of every block whereby the circuit formed by looping thecircuit of thetrain-stopping magnet into a"- road-bed circuit may beopened or closed according to the condition of the .next block ahead ofthat in which.

the train is running, and the position of'the armature of saidtrain-stopping magnet correspondingly modified.

Various other features of novelty will hereinafter be described andparticularly set forth in the appended claims.

The drawings which accompany and iorm' a part of thisspecificationdiagrammatically represent the preferred embodiment of ourinvention; but it will be understood that both the apparatus and thecircuit arrangements therein conventionally shown may be materiallymodified by those skilled in the art without departing from theinvention as defined by the appended claims.

In the drawings 7 Figure 1 shows an automatic electricallythetrain-stoppin actuated train-controlling system embodying our invention,the several moving parts of the train and track-apparatus being repressented in the positions which they occupy before the train-circuits arein coperatlon by said moving parts when the block ahead 7 of the trainhas been made unsafe by being short-circuited by another train ormetallic obstruction, or by the breaking of the continuous rail or oneof the members of the sectional rail. Fig. 4 is a plan view of theregister which is arranged for actuation by magnet.

Each of the gures represents a block section consisting of a rail 1, thejoints of which are bonded to insure electrical continuity and a rail 2,the component parts of which are also electrically bonded, but thesections of which are insulated from the contiguous sections 2, 2, theelectrically continuous portion of each section 2,2, 2", etc., beingco-extensive with the length of the blocksection. The rails 1 and 2 willhereafter be referred to as the continuous rail and the sectional railrespectively. Located between the ends of each sectional rail andpreferably at a point some distance from the forward end of the same isa ramp on contact plate or rail 3 arranged parallel to the rails 1 and 2and adjacent to one or the other so that a shoe carried by the train maymake electrical contact with the same. For convenience of illustrationthe ramp 3 is shownat the end of section 2 andoadjacent to the outerside of rail 1, but it will be understood of course that said ramp maybe i placed adjacent to the outer side of the rail 2 or maybe locatedbetween the rails. The ramp 3 by means of a conductor, which may'include the resistance 4, the sectional rail 2 and the conductor 5 isconnected to one terminal of the track-magnet 6, the other ter minal ofwhich is connected to the continuous rail by the conductor 7.

Arranged parallel to the ramp 3 isa some what shorter ramp 8 so arrangedthat its coiiperating shoe does not strike the same 'until after theother shoe has made contact with ramp 3 and having its forward end inthe rear of that of ramp 3 so that its shoe will leave the same beforethe other shoe breaks contact with ramp 3. By means of a conductor 9preferably carried by the telegraph poles beside the track the ramp 8 isconnected by way of the track-switch hereinafter describedto thecontinuous rail.

To the plunger 10 of the magnet 6 which magnet is energized, said switchnormally being held in its lowermost position shown in Fig. 1 by thespring 17. Between the brush 16 of said switch, hereinafter referred toas: the track-switch, and the conductor 7 is a. resistance 18, so thatthe track-switch ramp 8 by means of conductors 9 and 7 is. 0011- ne'ctedthrough said resistance to the continuous rail when the magnet 6 isenergized and is disconnected therefrom when the latter is deenergized.

' At the end of block 2, ramps 3, 8 are represented, the former beingconnected through resistance 4 to the sectional rail 2 and the latterbeing connected by the wire 9"to apparatus identical with that to whichthe conductor 9 is connected, it being understood of course that everyblock is provided with a pair of ramps such as 3, 8, connected to the-vneXt block ahead and to apparatus associated with the. far end of suchblock identical with that shown in Fig. 1; V

The track switch andits magnet are 10- catedpreferably on a telegraphpole'besidev the track.

For conveniencerof identification the ramp 3 will be hereinafterreferred to as the track-magnet ramp and the ramp 8 as the track-switchramp. Carried by the train and preferablyby the pony truck of thelocomotive is a contact shoe 19 of any suitable construction and hereinshown as a downwardly curved member of spring material fixed at one endand forced by the elasticity of the metal of which it 1s formedflagainst the stop 20 at the other, the curved portion of said shoe beingarranged to come into direct contact, with and ride up upon the ramp 3and be held infirm electrical contact therewith by virtue of suchelasticity. The shoe 19 hereinafter designated as the track-magnetramp-shoe is connected by wire 21 to the brush 22 of the generator 23carried by the train. The other brush 24 is connected to the continuousrail 1 by the conductor 25 and the contact member 26 which as shown maybe one of the locomofive wheels.

The shoe 27 similar in construction to shoe 19 and hereinafter referredto as the trackswitch ramp-shoe is also fixed to the train andpreferably to the pony truck of the engine and arranged to make contactwith the track-switch ramp. The free end of the shoe27is forced by itselasticity against the lower face of the stop 28 which is connected bythe resistance 29 and the conductor 25 against said upper face, theresistance 29 will'still remain out of circuit. The fixed endof the shoe27 is connected by wire-30 to:the brake-controlling or train-stoppingmagnet 31 and the other terminal of the latter is joined to the brush 22of the generator, so'that normally there is a closed circuit through theresistance 29 and the train-stopping magnet, the resulting normalenergization with the latter maintaining the valve 32' on its seat 33,in the, particular eX- ample shown in the drawings. It will, beunderstood however that said train-stopping magnet-maybe operativelyassociated with the engine throttle orany otherinstrumental-ity wherebythe trainmay be stopped or controlled. In the particular apparatusshownsaidvalve 33 is secured to the plunger 10 of the magnet 31 andis'arranged to rest,j

when said magnet is energized, upon its seat in the casing 34 which ismounted upon the backyoke 35 of said magnet and thereby close theg port36 which otherwise would be open to the atmosphere by the passage 36'.

The casing-37 of the blanking valve (not shown) is mounted upon thevalve casing 34 and insulated therefrom by the bushing 38. The casing 37is provided witha passageway 39 which will'be put into communicationwith'the atmosphere when the valve 32 is as its seat and. thereby effectthe application of the tllPblTLkGS in the manner describedinPatent No.1,114,642 and the improvement thereon disclosed in the application ofEldridge I. La-Count, Serial.No. 125,112filed October'll, 1916.

Arranged tobeactuated by the plunger '10 of the magnet 31 and preferablyas shown directly attached to the armature 11 thereof is a commutatorcomprising two insulated portions 40,40 and a conducting portion 41. Thebrush ;42 is arranged to be in contact with the conducting portion ofthe commutator irrespective of the position. of the armature 11 and isconnected to the brush 24 of the generator. 1

A safety-signal indicating device herein shown as a lamp 43 is connectedby the Wire '44-. tothebrush 45 arranged to make contact with theconducting member 41- only when the magnet 31 is energized. The brush 46is arranged'to be in contact withithe insulation member 40 when 'thetrain-stopping magnet is energized and to makecontact with theconducting member 41 when said magnetis deenergized, :as shown in Fig,3. By the conductor :47 the last mentioned brush is connected to thedanger-signal indicating device herein shown as thelamp 48, andboth'indicating devices are connected tothe brush 22of the dynamo b theconductor 49.

It will be obvious that when the parts are'in the position shown in Fig.1 there-will be a circuit through thelamp 43and the generator, and thatthe circuit of the lamp 48 will be open at the commutator, while in theposition shown in Fig. 3 there will bea circuit through the generatorand the danger-signal indicating lamp, andthe circuit of thesafety-signal indicating lamp will be broken at the commutator.

have found that the difficulties heretofore experienced with switchesand circuit-changing devices of the'springcontrolled pivotedarmaturerelay type are completely eliminated by the use of an electro-magnet ofthe-solenoid type, the plunger ofwhich carries one element of acircuit-controlling device. By means of such arrangement the system is.greatly simplified and-rendered certain and reliable in operation,while in the case of the train-carried portion of the system thevibration of the train has no injurious effect on the circuit changer"or commutator because of the entire absence of the spring-retractedmembers heretofore employed. V

The operation of the system above described is as followszBefore theshoes-have made contact with theirrespective ramps the circuit ofthetrack-magnet 6 is open,

this circuit being hereinafter termed the track-magnet circuit viz., thecircuit 3, 4,

2, 5, 6, 7, 1, 26, 25, 23, 21, 19 and saidmagnet consequently 1sdeenergized, and its armature 11 is forced. down on'the'back stop .13bythe spring 17 so that the brushes 16,

'41 of the train-controlling-magnet commutator. track-switch circuit,viz., the circuit 8, 9, 1e, 16, 18, 7, 1, 26, 25, 23, 31, 27, is open atThe circuit hereinafter termed'the two places, viz., between the shoe 27and ramp 8, and the brushes 16, 16, and the ring 15. The circuit of thedanger-signal device 18 is open at the train-controllingmagnetcommutator.

As soon as the shoe 19 is brought in contact with the track-magnet ramp3, the

t-rack-magneti' circuit is closed, the armature of the track-magnet isdrawn up to its front stop 12 and the ring 15 is placed in contact withthe brushes 16, 16, thereby closing one of the breaks in the trackswitch circuit. Shortly afterward the shoe 27 makes contact with thetrack-switch ramp 8 and thereby closes the other break in thetrack-switch circuit, by looping the traincontrolling-magnet circuitinto the track switch circuit, the resistance 29 being cut out of saidcircuit and replaced by the equivalent resistance 18, so that there willbe no change inthe degree of energization of the traincontrolling magnet31. The track-switch circuit may now be traced as follows 2, via,

from the generator 23 through magnet 31 to shoe 27, ramp 8, conductor 9,brush 16, conducting ring15, brush 16, resistance 18, conductor 7,continuous rail 1, contact maker 26, and thence by the conductor 25 backto. the generator. The momentary opening of the train-controlling-magnetcircuit which occurswhen the shoe 27 rides up over the ramp 8 andthereby breaks contact with its backstop 28, will not suffice todeenergize the train-stopping magnet for practically simultaneously withsuch opening, said circuit is closed in the -manner above indicated andthe armature of said magnet and its associated apparatus maintain'theirnormal positions, the lamp 13 remaining lighted and the circuit of thelamp 48 remaining open. 7

However, when the'block ahead of that in which the train is running hasbeen rendered unsafe, the track-magnet will remain deenergized, and theresulting. changes in the positions of 'the moving members are shown inFig. 3.

Breaks in the tracks are indicated at X and Y, and Z represents ametallic obstruction such as thetruck of a train short-circuiting theterminals of the track-magnet. As will be obvious in either case themagnet 6 will remain deenergized, and the track-switch circuit will beopen at the switch so that when theshoe 27 rides up over the ramp 8 thecircuit of the trainstopping magnet will be opened, the magnetdeenergized and its armature will take the position shown in Fig. 3,said armature dropping to its back stop 13 by gravity assisted by thepressure of the air in the passage 39 acting against the valve 32, sothat it will be impossible for the apparatus to fail on account of anypossible sticking of the armature 11 to the sheath 12. It

will be obvious that the result above set forth, viz., the opening ofthe circuit of the train-controlling magnet, will also be effected bythe rupture of conductors 5, 7 and 9, or any of them, irrespective ofthe condition of the track. It will also be obvious that theshort-circuiting of the train apparatus or the breaking of'the circuitsthereof will have the effect of opening the circuit on the magnet 31 andthereby stopping the train. 7 I

The track-magnet ramp 3 may be about sixty feet in length and itscooperating shoe should strike the same long enough before shoe 27makescontact with ramp 8 topermit the energization of the track-magnetand the setting of the track-switch to the position shown in Fig. 2.Obviously the shoe 27 must break contact with its ramp before thetrack-magnetcircuit has been opened by the breaking of the contactbetween the shoe 19 and ramp 3.

As more fully described in the application of Eldridge I. La Count,Serial No. 125,112 above referred to, the brakes will remain set afterthe train has been stopped by the system herein described until thevalve 32 is again brought to its seat which may be effected by theoperation of an adjunct to the engineers valve under certain conditionsnot necessary to set forth herein. It being desirable to register theinstances of operation of said adjunct, we provide means for showingindirectly the number of times said adjunct is operated during a run.The particular means shown comprise a register actuated by the armatureofthe magnet 31. In the present instance the lever 50 provided with anoffset 51 at one end is pivoted at 52 to a support 53 and has a pawl 54pivotally con nected to its other end, said pawl being connected by thespiral spring 55 to the'pivot 52. The ratchet wheel 56 of a register 57which in the present instance has thre'e dials on which the'hands 58,58", 58 register units, tens and hundreds respectively, is actuated bythe pawl 54; every time the end of the commutator strikes the offset 51of the pivoted lever.

Inasmuch as the'train after having been brought to a standstill by oursystem cannot again be started unless the engineer operates the adjunctabove referred to, it follows that the register above described willmake a record of the operations of said adjunct. It will be understoodhowever that the particular form of register constitutes no part of ourinvention and that any suitable means arranged for operation by thearmature or plunger of the trainstopping magnet may-be employed torecord the number of times the train is automatically stopped and;consequently the number of times it is started again by the operation ofthe adjunct tothe engineers valve: 1 r

Having thus particularly described an illustrative embodiment of ourinvention without, however, limiting the same there-'- to 1 what' weclaim as new and desire to'secure by Letters Patent is: v 1

1. In a train controlling system, the com bination with anelectrically-continuous rail and a sectional rail, each section of whichis electrically-continuous but insulated from its contiguous sections,of a source of electrical energy carried by the train, a trainstoppingmagnet normally energized directly by said source, a safety-signalindicating device, a danger-signal indicating device, a commutatoractuated by said train-' stopping magnet, a connection from said sourceto the conducting member of said commutator, a connection from saidsafetysignal indicating device to said conducting member when saidtrain-stopping magnet is.

energized, and a connection from said danger-signal indicating device tothe insulation member of said commutator when said trainstopping magnetis energized.

2. In a train controlling system, the combination with anelectrically-continuous rail and a sectional rail, each section of whichis electrically-continuous but insulated from its contiguous sections,of a source of electrical energy carried by the train, a trainstoppingmagnet normally energized directly by said source, a safety-signalindicating device, a danger-signal indicating device, a commutatoractuated by said train stopping magnet, means connecting the conductingmember of said commutator to said source, means connecting saidsafety-signal indicating device to the conducting member of saidcommutator only when said train stopping magnet is energized, and meansconnecting said danger-signal indicating device to the conducting memberof said commutator only when said train-stopping magnet 1s deenergized.

3. In a train controlling system, the com energy, anelectro-magnetically operated track switch controlled by said trackcircuit, said track-switch having a single conducting member and aninsulating member, a second track c1rcu1t, brushes connected to theter-.

minals of said second track circuit and normally' in contact with saidinsulating member, a second ramp on the road-bed, and a shoecarriedbyfthe train andarranged to cooperate with the last mentlonedramp to close theclrcuit of said train-stopping magnet'throughsaidconducting member of said trackswitch. Y

4. In a train controlling system, the combination with :anelectrically-continuous rail anda sectional'rail, each section of whichis electrically-continuous but insulated trom its contiguous sections,of a source of electrical energy carried by the train, a train-stopping.

plunger of said solenoid and havinga single 7 conducting member and aninsulating member, a second ramp on the road-bed, and a shoe carried bythe train and arranged to cooperate with the last mentioned ramp toclose the circuit of said train-stopping magnet through said conductingmember of said track switch.

5. In a train controlling system, the combination with anelectrically-continuous rail and a sectional rail, each section of whichis electrically continuous but insulated from its contiguoussections,-of a source of electrical energy carried by the train, asolenoid energized directly bysaid source, a casing mounted on the yokeof said solenoid and provided with a single valve seat communicatingwith a single passageway containing air under pressure, a valve carried.by the plunger of said solenoid, said valve being arranged to rest onsaid seat when said solenoid'is energized and thereby, close saidpassageway, and means in the section ahead of that in which the train isrunning for directly controlling the action of said solenoid,

whereby upon the denergization of the latter said valve will be forcedfrom its seat by the action of gravity'and the pressure of the air insaid passageway and will open said passageway directly to theatmosphere.

6. In. a train-controlling system, a trainstopping magnet, adanger-signal indicating device and a safety-signal indicating device,the circuits of both of said devices being associated with that of saidtrain-stopping magnet, a commutator actuated by said train-stoppingmagnet, said commutator having a conducting member and an insulationmember, three brushes, one arranged to be always in contact with saidconducting member and theother two being so arranged that one is incontact with said conducting member when the other is incontact withsaid insulation member, and connections from the last mentionedbrushesto said indicating devices respectively.

7. In a train controlling system,a tracksolenoid arranged ,to beenergized by a sourcerof ,electricalenergy carried by the train, atrack-switch carried by-the plunger of said track solenoid a circuitassociated with said track-switch, and two brushes connectedrespectively to the terminals of said l0 circuit, said switch beingprovided with a single conducting member and an insulation member andsaid brushes being arranged so as to make contact With said conductingmember only When said track solenoid is energized. g 1

In testimony whereof, We have hereunto subscribed our names this 22ndday of May, 191

BENJAMIN A. PRINCE. V

ELDRIDGE I. LA COUNT.

